The present invention is related to photography and more particularly to a system for scanning film image frames containing both an image and information exposed in the image frame by a camera, identifying the recorded information, and reproducing the images and recorded information in print or Photo CD reproductions.
A number of current photographic cameras are provided with a xe2x80x9cdatebackxe2x80x9d feature whereby the date and time of exposure of a filmstrip image frame can also be exposed on the negative (or transparency) inside the image frame. The technique employed in the camera typically involves energizing a linear array of red LEDs positioned in the filmstrip transport path just inside the image frame border. The LED array is energized in response to write signals provided from the camera microcontroller during advancement of the exposed image frame past the linear array. The LED on/off states are controlled by the write signals during the filmstrip advancement to expose red (typically) alphanumeric characters on the negative image frame. The alphanumeric numeric characters are subsequently exposed on the photographic paper at the time that prints are made from the negative image frames and typically appear in red on the prints, masking the background print image where they appear.
More recently, photographic images are printed from the film image to a compact disc for video display in the xe2x80x9cPhoto CDxe2x80x9d system introduced by Eastman Kodak Co. The alphanumeric characters exposed in the film image are detected and stored with the image for video display together.
In more expensive SLR camera systems with replaceable camera backs, data backs can be added that provide a complete alphanumeric keypad entry for use by the photographer to enter more extensive notes that may be related to the person or event photographed. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,682, a camera is described for recording information related to each image frame as small alphanumeric characters exposed in a corner portion of the image frame for photographic reproduction on the print made from the negative image frame. The information may be stored in temporary memory prior to making the exposures of the image frames and exposed on the image frames in conjunction with the image frame exposure. As each message is inputted into memory, it is displayed and may be edited. The input mechanism depicted is a keyboard. The imprinting of these annotations on the negative image frame, and the subsequent appearance of the annotation on the print in the image area is quite similar.
Typically, the camera manufacturer designs the system to write the information along the long edge of the negative as shown in FIG. 1 at the bottom of the scene when the camera is held in the normal way during exposure. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,702, a method is disclosed which attempts to manipulate the orientation of the data written into the negative image frame to the orientation of the camera. In this process, the horizontal or vertical orientation of the camera is detected, and the characters are exposed in dot-matrix font in the proper orientation to the resulting film image. Regardless of where or exactly what information is exposed on the negative image frame, the consumer ends up with a print with characters exposed on it.
It has also been proposed to provide the camera with a data recording function to record information related to the exposure conditions and camera settings of the image captured in the scene or xe2x80x9cexposure dataxe2x80x9d. Such exposure data is of particular use in providing the proper classification of the captured image for reproducing it either by digital reproduction systems or by color printers. For example, the fact that the camera flash unit was employed can be recorded for read out and use by the automatic color printer to set the color balance and print paper exposure conditions. Similarly, such exposure data may be used to affect the color balance in processing trichromatic image frame data sets scanned from the illuminated image frame for reproduction of the image in a video display or digital print or for creation of a Photo CD.
Systems have also been proposed to magnetically record the exposure data as well as the date and time and photographer entered information as recorded information in tracks on a magnetics-on-film layer inside and/or outside the film image frame or to optically expose such information in tracks located outside the film image frame. For optical recording of such information, the film edge strip outside the image frame where it could take place is limited, particularly since that same area is typically occupied by pre-exposed film manufacturing data, frame numbers and intermittently placed sprocket holes.
In one aspect of the invention, the problem addressed relates to accommodating the optical recording of such recorded information within the image frame to the extent necessary to record all the information without unnecessarily compromising the captured image.
While the reproduction of such recorded information (including the exposure data in some instances) is desirable, the reproduction within the print or video image distracts from the pleasing aesthetic aspects of the scene or persons. Often is appears right on and obliterating the subject of interest. When the photographer chooses to fill the image frame with the subject or places the subject off center for artistic, compositional purposes, the red characters may completely ruin the intentions of the photographer. Moreover, even in cases where this information is desirable in the resulting print or video image, it sometimes can be barely legible if the monochromatic characters are imposed on a busy background and/or a similar color background. This problem occurs with both print image and Photo CD video display reproductions.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an automatic system for recognizing and decoding recorded information, e.g. alphanumeric characters or encoded data, of a message exposed in a film image frame and for reproducing at least a portion of the recorded information in a fashion that renders it more readable and enhances the print or video image reproduced from the film image.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an automatic system for recognizing and decoding such recorded information and for making a reproduction of the image without the recorded information in it.
It is a yet a further object of the present invention to restore or fill the portions of the film image frame obliterated by such recorded information and to reprint or display the recorded information outside the print or video image on a border or on the back of a print reproduction made of the restored image.
It is still a further object of the present invention to alter the film image frame format and the recorded information to enhance and/or change the printed or video display reproduction thereof within or outside the reproduced print or video display image.
It is a specific object of the present invention to make a full print image or create Photo CD image frame from a film image frame having recorded dateback information or other information entered by the camera or the user and exposed therein by a camera, wherein the exposed dateback area is filled in with surrounding image pixels in the resulting prints, and the dateback information is reprinted or displayed outside the print or video image area on a border or on the back side of a print image.
Finally, it is a still further object of the invention to recognize and employ recorded information automatically recorded by the camera related to the exposure of a film image frame to control the operation of the reproduction apparatus in reproducing the image while selectively removing such recorded information from the reproduced image.
Accordingly, to solve the need for data information associated with an individual photograph for use in either reproducing the captured image or for the photographer""s purposes and the annoying reproduction of the information in the image field, the invention proposes that the negative (or positive) capture media, i.e., the film image, be scanned by a linear CCD array, or preferably an area CCD array, to develop a full frame color and luminance scan image data set. The scan image data set is then analyzed by a search algorithm concentrating on the edge region(s) of the image frame area where such recorded information usually appears to locate the sub-set of character image data for such recorded information, if present. The search algorithm is tailored to first recognize the characteristic red or other wavelength color bandwidths typically employed to expose the time and date or other recorded information, including encoded information. Once a region image data sub-set is identified by such color analysis as having characters or encoded information therein, it is separated from the scan image data set, subjected to optical character or code recognition, and the recognized information therein is converted to ASCII code for temporary storage. For purposes of simplicity, the term xe2x80x9ccharacter image data sub-setxe2x80x9d is used herein to refer to such a sub-set of the lateral or longitudinal edge regions of a film image frame where such recorded information is sought to be located, if present, in both cases where the recorded information is in a dot or bar code encoded pattern or in the form of alpha-numeric characters.
In the first, full frame embodiment of the invention, a character or code bit-map (hereafter, xe2x80x9ccharacter informationxe2x80x9d in either case) of the recorded information within the image data sub-set is generated. The character bit-map is thereby identified and xe2x80x9cliftedxe2x80x9d from the character image data sub-set, in a sense leaving a void in the character image data sub-set. In the first preferred embodiment, the void is filled as the character image data sub-set is subjected to a re-touching algorithm of any of the types well known in the art to create a re-touch image data sub-set of data bits that is substituted therefore in a re-constituted or composite image data set. The re-touch image data sub-set duplicates the data bits adjacent to the character bit-map data bits to thereby fill in the data void.
After the scanning and re-touching operations, the composite image data set is employed to reproduce the image as a Photo CD or print image reproduction devoid of the lifted recorded information. The ASCII code of the character image data sub-set is used to reproduce the lifted recorded information outside the reproduction area of the print or video image.
Moreover, to the extent that the recorded information is recognized to constitute exposure data for use in classifying the captured image or otherwise processing the scan image data set for color balance or the like, such exposure data is provided to process the scan image data set before it is provided to the printer or other reproduction apparatus. In addition, such recorded information may or may not be reproduced outside the reproduction area of the print or video image.
In a first full frame variation, the re-touching algorithm is not employed. Instead, the recorded information is digitally overprinted in the same character bit-map area but with a high quality font in a more pleasing color and graphics that would be clearly legible. In this case, it would be difficult to distinguish the recorded date information and other text information entered by the photographer from that automatically entered by the camera, and in the simplest case, all such information would be printed in enhanced font.
In a further cropped image embodiment, once characters or encoded data are recognized in a character image data sub-set, the ASCII code is retained, but the character image data sub-set is discarded for purposes of forming the reproduction image. The remaining image data set is employed to form the cropped video or print image, and the recorded information is reproduced outside the image area as described above.
In a further simplification of the cropped image embodiment for implementation in optical printers, the cropped image is optically printed from the portion of the film image that does not contain the recorded information, and the text is reproduced outside the print or video image area as described above. In this embodiment, the exposure data automatically recorded by the camera may be separately employed to control the operation of the automatic printer.
The invention advantageously results in the restoration of the photographed image or scene in prints or reproductions made of the image frame while preserving the information for printing as an annotation associated with the print or video image, thereby attaining a more aesthetically pleasing reproduction.
The invention further facilitates the expansion of the amount and types of information stored in the image frame using inexpensive and conventional techniques already implemented in camera technology.
The present invention in the embodiments, operating modes and variations described above has particular application to Photo CD technology. With the advent of the Kodak Photo CD system, the scanning of the image is already taking place. If the consumer""s choice of output is Photo CD, the processed scan image data) could be written to the Photo CD disk with the ASCII text as a separate field. The text can then be displayed in an area of the TV screen that is usually blackened and thus not compromising the enjoyment of the original composition.
The print image reproduction may be accomplished with a digital image processor e.g. a video image printer for exposing photographic print paper or by a digital print engine, e.g. a thermal dye transfer printer or a laser color printer. The reproduction of recorded information is available in any font type/size/color to create a more pleasing result.
Moreover, the operation of the conventional optical printer can be improved in both its exposure control of the cropped image as well as the printing of the text in relation to the print.